(Verticalnet Inc., Malvern, PA, www.verticalnet.com) A company that was an early pioneer in the development and operation of business-to-business Web portals for scientific, industrial and manufacturing industries. In 1995, it introduced Water Online, its first "Web community" and created more than 40 others during its media heyday as an "Internet darling." After the dot-com bubble burst in 2000, Verticalnet changed its direction to developing supply chain applications with emphasis on reducing spending and controlling inventory. In 2007, the company was acquired by European supply management firm BravoSolution S.p.A. and renamed BravoSolution US. See vertical portal and Web hub.